A Case Report of Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum after Vaginal Delivery: Hamman’s Syndrome

Abstract

The presence of free air in the mediastinum with subcutaneous emphysema without trauma or medical condition is known as spontaneous pneumediastinum (Hamman's Syndrome).

It's also a rare labour and delivery problem that usually happens in the second stage of labour.

At 39 weeks and 6 days in spontaneous labour, a 26-year-old primigravida arrived at our hospital. Two hours after delivery, the patient experienced neck tightnessand chest tenderness with palpa-tion. An X-ray of the chest and a CT scan of the neck revealed pneumomediastinum that extended into the soft tissue. A conservative management style was used. Our objective was analyze the litera-ture about pneumediastinum and delivery. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare disorder with a reported frequency of less than 1:44000 in the general population and 1:100000 in the context of pregnancy or labour. The Valsalva maneuvers performed during the second stage of labour have been linked to the development of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in pregnant women. The most critical test to establish the diagnosis is a chest X-ray (posterior and lateral views). The course of Hamman's syndrome is usually benign, and management is usually conservative. For patient safety and proper management, a quick diagnosis of Hamman's Syndrome is required, but most instances are self-limiting.